- Welcome to EphemerIZ -
Sizzlyn' Izlyn's Home on the Web

WELCOME:

Sizzlyn’……

“I often drive around thinking my life should run to a soundtrack.”

STAGE. LIGHTS. MUSIC.

Izlyn has been singing all her life; ever since her first ever memorable performance as the Good Witch of the North from the Wizard of Oz when she was five (quite apt, since she now is fanatical about "Wicked - The Musical"). She made her KL theatre debut however, in Musical Chairs as part of ICT's "Raise the Roof" festival in 2003. A versatile songstress and a veteran of the KL (and beyond) performance venue circuit, Izlyn's music loves are Jazz and Broadway - but she sings just about anything anywhere anytime... and in almost any language!

Izlyn enjoyed rave reviews for her hot performance in Sean Ghazi's "I Have Dreamed" production at the Actors' Studio Bangsar which earned her a Nomination for "Best Solo Performance - Voice" at the 3rd Boh Cameronian Arts Awards 2004. Together with the effervescent Jit Murad, Izlyn performed the Opening Act, a tango "Will You Be Mine Tonight", composed especially for the Awards by 2002's "Most Promising Artist" Shanon Shah and co-hosted the evening's glitterama. The show "I Have Dreamed" (presented by Baby Grand Productions) garnered TWO AWARDS at the event: "Best Production Values" and "Kakiseni Audience Choice Awards - Music". Working on "I Have Dreamed" was exactly that - a dream come true and with truly a "dream team". In addition to performing and being nominated, Izlyn has also co-hosted the 3rd and 4th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for 2 consecutive years (2005 and 2006) respectively with Jit Murad and Shanon Shah.

Izlyn has had the pleasure of singing with Saidah Rastam's Big Band Mahna Mahna led by jazz pianist Michael Veerapen in Banjir (a fundraising performance in aid of Actors' Studio) as well performing in Saidah's opening piece Perasan for the 2nd Annual Boh Cameronian Arts Awards 2003. She was part of David Gomes' Big Band Jazz ensemble singing with Junji Gomes and Salamiah Hassan in the inaugural Johor Arts Festival 2004. Izlyn has also guest starred with the David Gomes Jazz Trio in La Bodega Lounge and Alexis Bistro Great Eastern Mall on various occasions. Izlyn and Adam Farouk also presented an evening called “The Story Hour” at Alexis and "For Good" at W, Wine Room. She has made several appearances at No Black Tie - performing in David Gomes' Quite Frankly - A Frank Sinatra Tribute and alongside Sean Ghazi in the nominated Baby Grander.

She has sung up a storm at No Black Tie, Alexis Bistro Great Eastern Mall, the Kit Kat Piano Lounge, Peter Hoe's Beyond, Avanti Jazz, 1919 Bistro and Piano Bar, NiNe at One Bangsar, The Attic as well as the Top Room, and continues to give performances (planned and impromptu) all over the place. Without doubt, her claim to fame in 2003 was "hanging out" with Michael Buble after his debut KL mini-concert and crooning "Getaran Jiwa" to him...

Izlyn has also participated in various choirs, musical and choral groups, including the Jenny Lind Singers on their Salzburg Performance Tour and the Selangor Philharmonic Choir's Carmina Burana at Istana Budaya. She is also proud to have been part of "Konsert Kasih" at the Istana Budaya, which had a star cast of Malaysian top and veteran artistes, performing in tribute to the victims of the Asian Tsunami Disaster.

Izlyn has been engaged for several private and corporate functions; as emcee as well as performer. Together with Sean Ghazi, she gave a Royal Command Performance in 2003; an Asian musical montage entitled Enchanted Evening for the birthday of DYMM Tuanku Jaafar. Other corporate engagements include The Star, Motorola, Nokia, YTL, KN Kenanga, Frost & Sullivan, Unilever, Berjaya and CIMB. She was also a Voice-Over and Jingles talent.

She has released two self-composed "pop" albums; Sinopsis Hati (1995) and the bilingual independent effort Dualiti/y (2001). Dualiti/y befits her rather dichotomous nature and her philosophy of life; where all things strive to exist in balance - caught in glorious limbo between East and West, corporate and creative, work and play. Dualiti/y may be previewed at ReverbNation, a unique website which promotes and distributes independent music: http://www.reverbnation.com/izlynramli

An accomplished lyricist, Izlyn's forte is in translating songs from various languages into Malay and English in lyrical form. She has collaborated on many albums for this purpose. Notably, Izlyn is officially "Lyrics Translator" in the staging of the historic and epic "Puteri Gunung Ledang" the Musical at the Istana Budaya, KL and at the Esplanade Theatre, Singapore. She was involved in Sean Ghazi's solo debut album - SEMALAM - in which Izlyn Ramli is creative collabator in music, lyrics and creative concept. Izlyn is continuously working on another dream project, simply entitled "Muzikal". She has showcased this project in a "One Night Only" performance at No Black Tie, as well as in her solo showcase - "Songs I Sing In My Car" at Bobo KL.

In 2007, Izlyn made her theatre stage musical debut in "P Ramlee the Musical (PRTM)" at Istana Budaya and was once again Lyrics and Book Translator.

After a long hiatus, Izlyn returned to the small stage and her love of music, song and lyrics in 2010 - every now and again popping up at renowned music venues such as Mezze Lounge with Michael Veerapen and Nero Fico, and a slew of private parties, performing with an ever growing number of talented Malaysian and foreign muso-sessionists.

In 2015, her dichotomous worlds of corporate and creative collided in serendipity; when together with key collaborators, they dreamt up the unique and pioneering concept of staging a corporate internal messaging platform as a full blown musical - celebrating the journey of an institution towards its aspiration, fronted by a love story, with songs and lyrics meaningful to the united workforce as its soundtrack - in "TM The Musical - A Story of Convergence". This was a ground-breaking internal communications/employee engagement and brand profiling platform - 100 days from concept to the first show - to make TM and Malaysian history as the 1st GLC/Corporate to tell its story as a full fledged professionally staged musical. So successful was the singular performance at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre for 2500 staff, that the musical was re-staged as the Merdeka edition for a 5-show run in August, for an estimated audience of > 5000 staff and stakeholders; this time, appropriately at the home of Malaysian theatre - the iconic Istana Budaya. Of course, Izlyn had a cameo performance!

In 2016, Izlyn once again took to the small stage with her solo show entitled "Songs I Sing In My Car" - this time at the uber cool speakeasy piano bar, Bobo KL - the rising star of KL's intimate performance venues; where the artistic director is none other than Sean Ghazi!!! Since then, she has had a number of guest appearances there and followed up with solo spots in 2017 with "Iz About Time", and 2018 with "AcoustIZ".

Izlyn is a member of Sean Ghazi's stylo-mylo, terrer-menerrer, high-octane world class yet distinctly Malaysian, big band act TARAKUCHA! – a 10-piece ensemble featuring Ida Mariana, Izlyn Ramli, Maya Tan, Ruzana Ibrahim, Sabrina Hassan and Suhaili Micheline. Complete with a company of backing singers and dancers, TARAKUCHA! proudly explores Malaysia’s musical heritage with humour, class and pizzazz. Classic songs from entertainers of Malaysia’s Golden Era such as P. Ramlee, Saloma and Jimmy Boyle, together with originals by the TARAKUCHA writing duo of Sean Ghazi and Izlyn Ramli, and favourite pops songs all come together in a classy ‘rojak’ that takes your breath away! Workshopped in Bobo KL, TARAKUCHA! made its Big Band Extravaganza debut as the show "GELORA -TARAKUCHA" at Mid Valley City’s The Gardens Theatre as part of the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival, DiverseCity 2017.

In 2018, Izlyn's two worlds of corporate and performance came together when Telekom Malaysia’s (TM) launched its own version of the "Hebat Negaraku ~ Inspirasiku" (My Great Country, My Inspiration) song and video, taking the opportunity to reflect the values that drive TM’s vision in making the lives of Malaysians easier. The video celebrates TM's activities and efforts in nation-building, whether it’s in helping the needy, contributing to the education of innovative minds and the future digital generation, protecting the environment, developing the advancement of sports especially Malaysian football, ensuring the security of our national network and much more. The song was a special collaboration with her fellow Tarakucha band mates; all homegrown world class talents - Hady Afro, one of Malaysia's best fingerstyle guitarists, who rearranged the song for TM - as well as Amar Azalan, Muhammad Abdul Karim Zarifuddin (AKZ) and Uda Wahid.

Izlyn has a "very serious" day job (www.linkedin.com/in/izlynramli) and remains eternally hopeful for any opportunity to dust off her dreams on stage and simply, from the depths of her passionate soul, belt out ...

soundbites

"TO be able to draw inspiration from life and to have the gift to work it into a song that catches the moment is a blessing. Izlyn Ramli is one of the fortunate few with that gift. Her vocals are amazing"

Joe Lee - AMAZING IZLYN - Buzz Music, The Malay Mail

"The divine Izlyn Ramli, alternately smoky, breathless and soaring vocals. Sultry and classy at the same time, Izlyn's magnificent voice and obvious enthusiasm was one of the afternoon's highlights"

Hari Raj - INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS - Malaysian Business: The Arts

"The entry of the sassy Izlyn - deeper, mellow, but equally powerful voice that could rasp like a R&B singer, and she could move like a vamp"

Chow Ee-Tan - OUT OF THIS WORLD - Buzz Entertainment The Malay Mail

"Her album tinged with folk, R&B, soul and a healthy sprinkling of pop is an impressive serving. The 10 songs are great works of pop and the name of the album is attributed to a bilingual approach – half Malay, half English – and Izlyn is adept at both"

Joe Lee - AMAZING IZLYN - Buzz Music, The Malay Mail

"Izlyn Ramli then swept the audience off their feet with her awesome, soulful voice. Her pitch perfect execution of Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster’s The Prayer with Sean Ghazi sent shivers down the spine with its poignant dips and dramatic crescendos"

Jackie Fernandez - BEGUILED AGAIN - The Star

"Multi-talented Izlyn Amylia Ramli has her finger in so many pies that one wonders how she manages to survive the day. Can one really squeeze in all that passion, emotion and energy in one person? Well, Izlyn can. In fact, she does it with such ease and gusto, all at the same time."

Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan - THE FORCE IS STRONG IN IZLYN - New Straits Times Features

"One sit-in at her show and you'd know that this is one songbird worth listening to"